![Best War Films](https://watchinamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/WAR-MOVIES.png)
The war film genre has its own good and bad aspects. It’s time we go beyond the American fixation with military valor and sacrifice and explore other important unseen aspects of wars through the best war movies available on Netflix. Unlike old war movies, new war movies on Netflix are filled with more complex themes, and they present events from a humanized perspective. It is intentionally done to show audiences the actual horrors of war.
Read this article to explore some of the top war movies on Netflix. We have outlined these best war movies with utmost detail so you can easily pick the best one.
How To Stream Good War Movies on Netflix Online?
Netflix has films and TV shows from a diverse range of genres. There is something for everyone. If you’re a die-hard action movie fan, then there are the best action movies and TV shows to choose from. Other trending shows are also available on Netflix, such as 24 Hours with Gasper, Iron Reign, and Homicide New York.
Streaming Service | Pricing Starts At |
Netflix | $6.99 per month (standard with Ads) |
$15.49 per month (Standard) | |
$22.99 per month (Premium) |
List of Best War Movies on Netflix
Netflix is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a place to see some of the top war movies on Netflix of the twenty-first century. These are the top 20 war movies available for streaming on the internet, ranging from dramatic historical dramas to comedies and action-packed scenes.
1. First They Killed My Father (2017)
Genre | Biography, Drama, History |
Director | Angelina Jolie |
Cast | Sareum Srey Moch Sveng Socheata Heng Dara Sarun Nika Mun Kimhak Khoun Sothea Run Malyna |
IMDb Rating | 7.2 |
A middle-class Cambodian girl watches as the Khmer Rouge invades her family’s country in the 1970s, completely upending their way of life. They move out of their nice flat and way of life to live in a basic labor camp. Her family divides to survive the death of her father, a former police officer. This movie is one of the best war movies on Netflix.
Also check: 12 Best Movies Like War Dogs You Don’t Want to Miss
2. The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
Genre | Action, Drama, History |
Director | Richie Smyth |
Cast | Jamie Dorman Mark Strong Michael McElhatton Sam Keeley Emmanulle Seigner Mike Noble |
IMDb Rating | 7.2 |
The Siege of Jadotville tells the story of 1961 when a civil war was breaking out. The UN sent an Irish peace force under the command of Commandant Pat Quinlan to Katanga, Congo, to defend the people living in the mining town of Jadotville. Meanwhile, Dr. Conor Cruise O’Brien, a UN advisor, launched Operation Morthor, a military operation against Belgian and French mercenaries. Quinlan and his men find themselves under siege by a huge number of Katangese and mercenary forces as a result of the mercenaries’ quick response.
3. Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Genre | Drama, War |
Director | Cary Joji Fukunaga |
Cast | Abraham Attah Ricky Adelayitor Emmanuel Affadzi Andrew Adote Francis Weddey |
IMDb Rating | 7.7 |
The story follows the adventures of a young child named Agu who feels forced to serve in the military of a fictional West African nation. Agu’s early years have been destroyed by the war tearing through his nation, and although he fears his commander and many of the men around him, at first he is caught between repulsive and exciting feelings. Watch this top war movie on Netflix.
4. Sand Castle (2017)
Genre | Action, Drama, War |
Director | Fernando Coimbra |
Cast | Nicholas Houtt Henry Cavill Tommy Flanagan Logan Marshall-Green Glen Powell |
IMDb Rating | 6.3 |
Just before 9/11, a soldier enlists. He’s not a brave man; he’s just willing to protect liberty. He and a few members of his army platoon arrive in Iraq in 2003, just after Bagdad is taken over, and are assigned to supply water to a village whose infrastructure has been damaged. However, even seemingly simple tasks like water distribution, transportation, and plumbing reconstruction became difficult in a combat situation.
5. The Photographer of Mauthausen (2018)
Genre | Biography, Drama, History |
Director | Mar Targarona |
Cast | Mario Cases Alain Hernadez Eduard Buch Richard Van Weyden Ruben Yuste |
IMDb Rating | 6.7 |
The new war movies on Netflix follow the story of 1943: With World War II at its height and conflict at an all-time high, life is too harsh and brutal for the prisoners at the Mauthausen camp. Among them are soldiers who fought and lost the Spanish Civil War and were banished from Spain by General Franco after the war, who saw them as no men’s land and gave them to the Third Reich as free labor. As Paul Ricken’s right-hand man and Mauthausen’s warden, young Francesc Boix works as a photographer at the camp while trying to make ends meet in this environment of endless terror and violence brought about by the Nazis and the Kapos (violent prisoners who serve as guards to maintain order).
6. The Silent War (2019)
Genre | Action, Drama |
Director | Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas Esther Jiménez Aníbal Ruiz-Villar |
Cast | Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Xun Zhou, Xuebing Wang |
IMDb Rating | 5.5 |
1944 October. Following General Franco’s victory in the Spanish Civil War five years before, the “maquis,” or rebel revolutionaries against Franquist’s dictatorship, plotted a coup d’etat to remove the government and free the country. A few hundred maquis have been banished to France. Spain is now a land of poverty, starvation, hate, and bloodshed. The mission involves sending a commando to blow up a bridge, but things go awry when the explosives don’t work as planned and go off early, removing only part of the bridge and killing all but three of the commandos. Watch this new War movie on Netflix and enjoy the thrilling experience.
Read more: The 15 Best Adam Sandler Movies You Can’t Miss
7. Heneral Luna (2015)
Genre | Action, Biography, History |
Director | Jerrold Tarog |
Cast | John Arcilla Mon Confiado Mylene Dizon Lorenz Martinez Arron Villaflor Perla Bautista |
IMDb Rating | 7.2 |
Heneral Luna, which is set in the course of the Philippine-American War, this top war movie on Netflix tells the story of General Antonio Luna, one of the most accomplished soldiers in Philippine history, as he struggles to guide his people against both new and old colonial overlords and to rise above their conflicts in order reach the goals outlined in forth in the Philippine Revolution.
8. Virunga (2014)
Genre | Documentary, War |
Director | Orlando von Einsiedel |
Cast | Andre Bauma Melanie Gouby Patrice Lumumba Emmanuel de Merode Julien Lechenault Guyguy Mitamba |
IMDb Rating | 8.1 |
One of the world’s most biodiverse locations, Virunga National Park lies in the densely forested eastern Congo and is home to the last remaining mountain gorillas. A small, challenged group of park rangers, including a former child soldier turned ranger, a carer for orphan gorillas, and a Belgian conservationist, guard this UNESCO world heritage site against armed militia, poachers, and evil forces vying for control of the rich natural resources of the Congo.
9. Paskal (2018)
Genre | Action, Adventure, Drama |
Director | Adrian Teh |
Cast | Hairul Azreen Henley Hill Gambit Saifullah Ammar Alfian Taufiq Hanafi Hafizul Kamal |
IMDb Rating | 6.5 |
The Royal Malaysian Navy’s top unit is known as Paskal or Pasukan Khas Laut. The film is based on the real story of Lieutenant Commander Arman Anwar of Paskal and his team’s 2011 effort to save the tanker MV Bunga Laurel after it was taken over by Somali pirates.
10. Father Soldier Son (2020)
Genre | Documentary, War |
Director | Leslye Davis Catrin Einhorn |
Cast | Brian Eisch Joey Eisch Isaac Esich Roxanne Gregory |
IMDb Rating | 7.3 |
Joey and Isaac’s father is a superhero. They look up to their father, Brian Eisch, a decorated third-generation soldier who was stationed in Afghanistan for the majority of their boyhood while other family members took care of the boys. After Brian suffers injuries and changes, the three of them have to deal with the aftermath of the conflict. Fate keeps testing Brian’s faith in fairness and freedom as he struggles to maintain control over himself and his loved ones. Watch this new war movie on Netflix.
11. Goyo: The Boy General (2018)
Genre | Action, Biography, History |
Director | Jerrold Tarog |
Cast | Paulo Avelino Arron Villafor Jeffery Quizon Carlo Aquino Mon Confiado Alvin Anson |
IMDb Rating | 6.5 |
Goyo: The Boy General is a biographical movie based on the life of Gregorio ‘Goyo’ del Pilar. He was the youngest General who fought fearlessly during the Philippine-American War and bravely won the famous Battle of Tirad Pass.
12. War Machine (2017)
Genre | Comedy, War, Drama |
Director | David Michôd |
Cast | Brad Pitt John Magaro RJ Cyler Daniel Betts Emory Cohen Topher Grace |
IMDb Rating | 6.0 |
Eight years of conflict in Afghanistan have led to the deployment of an American general to “clean” up the country. He finds himself surrounded by disillusioned politicians and worn-out warriors who are ready to go. He believes that his goal in this scenario is to “win” the war, even though everyone around him believes this is impossible.
13. Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Genre | Adventure, War, Drama |
Director | Spike Lee |
Cast | Delroy Lindo Clarke Peters Isiah Whitlock Jr. Jonathan Majors Norm Lewis Melanie Thierry |
IMDb Rating | 6.5 |
A new movie from Academy Award® winner Spike Lee tells the tale of four African American veterans who return to Vietnam: Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.). Our heroes, along with Paul’s worried son Jonathan Majors, search for the remains of their deceased Squad Leader (Chadwick Boseman) and the possibility of hidden wealth. They fight against the forces of Nature and Man while facing the long-lasting effects of the Vietnam War’s immorality.
14. The King (2019)
Genre | Biography, Drama, History |
Director | David Michôd |
Cast | Tom Glynn-Carney Tom Fisher Steven Fisher Gabor Czap Edward Ashley Stephen Fewell Ivan Kaye |
IMDb Rating | 7.3 |
An unlikely heir to the English throne and wayward prince Hal (Timothée Chalamet) left the royal life to live among people. But Hal is made to accept the life he had previously attempted to flee after his despotic father passes away and is anointed King Henry V. The young king now has to deal with the devastation and conflict his father left behind, the politics of the palace, and the emotional bonds from his previous life, which include his friendship and mentor, the elderly and alcoholic knight John Falstaff (Joel Edgerton).
15. Outside the Wire (2021)
Genre | Action, Adventure, Fantasy |
Director | Mikael Håfström |
Cast | Anthony Mackie Enzo Cilenti Michael Kelly Damson Idris Henry Garrett Emily Beecham |
IMDb Rating | 5.4 |
Outside the Wire is a good war movie on Netflix that focuses on disgraced drone pilot Lt. Harp (Damson Idris) ends up working with android officer Capt. Leo (Anthony Mackie), is charged with finding a doomsday device before insurgents can, after he defies instructions and is deployed into a lethal militarised zone.
16. All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
Genre | Action, Drama, War |
Director | Edward Berger |
Cast | Felix Kammerer Aaron Hilmer Adrian Grunewald Mortiz Klaus Albrecht Schuch |
IMDb Rating | 7.8 |
The plot is about teen Paul Bäumer and his buddies Albert and Müller, who willingly serve in the German army. Their initial enthusiasm for their country rapidly wanes when they face the harsh facts of life on the front lines. Paul’s assumptions of the opposition and the morality of the fight quickly come apart. But Paul has to fight all his way to the end, even amid the armistice countdown, just to appease the upper brass’s desire to finish the war with a German onslaught. A new war movie on Netflix that is a must-watch.
17. Darkest Hour (2017)
Genre | Drama, War |
Director | Joe Wright |
Cast | Gary Oldman Kristin Scott Thomas Ronald Pickup Lily James Ben Mendelson Samuel West |
IMDb Rating | 7.4 |
As Adolf Hitler’s powerful Wehrmacht rages throughout Europe during World War II, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain is forced to step down and suggests Winston Churchill take his place. Churchill is under pressure to start peace talks with Hitler or to take on the supposedly unbeatable Nazi regime head-on, no matter the cost, even in his early days as the nation’s leader. In the hour of the nation’s greatest need, Churchill must shine, no matter how risky and difficult his choice may be.
18. Outlaw King (2018)
Genre | Action, Biography, Drama |
Director | David Mackenzie |
Cast | Chris Pine Rebecca Robin Paul Blair Billy Howle Sam Spruell Ben Clifford |
IMDb Rating | 6.9 |
In the Scottish Wars of Independence, Robert the Bruce, a 14th-century Scottish king, is the focus of the 2018 historical action drama film Outlaw King. The majority of the movie is set in the three years that follow Bruce’s decision to rebel against Edward I’s dominion over Scotland in 1304, and ending with the Battle of Loudoun Hill in 1307. Legendary warrior Robert the Bruce, who has been proclaimed King of Scotland, is driven into exile by the English and gathers a group of outlaws to assist him in regaining the kingdom.
Fans Recommendation: 12 Best Apocalyptic Movies on HBO Max You Must Watch
19. Blood & Gold (2023)
Genre | Action, Drama, War |
Director | Peter Thorwarth |
Cast | Jordis Triebel Robert Maaser Marie Hacke Alexander Scheer Roy McCrerey Steffen Wink |
IMDb Rating | 6.5 |
Blood and Gold is a new war movie on Netflix. The story takes place in 1945’s spring, shortly before World War II comes to a close. Heinrich and Elsa soon find out that they are not as similar as they had thought. They both defend their families, strive for justice, and oppose the Nazis. Heinrich’s daughter is missing. However, the Nazis intend to steal a Jewish gold trove that is hidden in Elsa’s isolated community—villagers against the SS in an exciting treasure hunt that starts. Secrets are revealed by the gold-seeking avarice, which culminates in a brutal confrontation in the town church.
20. The Forgotten Battle (2020)
Genre | Drama, War |
Director | Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. |
Cast | Gijs Blom Susan Radder Tom Felton Jamie Flatters Jan Bijvoet Coen Brill Scott Reid |
IMDb Rating | 7.1 |
The Forgotten Battle is a story about WWII in 1944. The lives of a British pilot, a Dutch boy fighting on the German side, and a Dutch female resistance worker become unexpectedly intertwined, but they all have one goal in common: to seek freedom.
Bottom Line
In war films, a particular type or tradition may be present in the plot or characters, depending on the viewer’s location. A Filipino war film like Heneral Luna focuses on other equally violent wars that might be forgotten in the modern world, whereas American war films might focus on World War II or the Civil War from a Western perspective. These top war movies on Netflix present different perspectives on how people experience cruelty and violence, but they may also alter views on the other side. Watch these Best war movies on Netflix and experience the reality of Wars.
![Express VPN](https://watchinamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Updated-ExpressVPN-Side-Banner.jpg)